+The blurb on your first LP says you are trying to create, create, create. Are you satisfied with what you are creating?

We like to have our own sound, but were not satisfied, not yet. You might be pleased with what you're doing once in a while, but never really satisfied. We're pleased with the LP we've just finished for instance. But the ideas we got out of it could go on to our next one.

+How does the Experience get such fusion when you are basically a blues man, Noel a rock man and Mitch a jazzman?

I don't know! Actually this is more like a freestyle thing. We know what song were going to play and what key it's in, and the chord sequence and we just take it from there

+How far can you go with the music you're playing now?

'I don't know. You can go on until you bore yourself to death I guess. You got to try something else. I think I'll start all over again and come back as a king bee.

+You write all your own material, where does it come from?

Just from me. We go to clubs a lot and go all around in taxis and you happen to see a lot of things. You see everything, experience everything as you live. Even if you're living in a little room, you see a lot of things if you have imagination. The songs just come.

+Loneliness is each a drag?

That's what it is really sometimes. That was the song I liked best of all we did. I'm glad it didn't get big and get thrown around.

+Does this mean you're an introvert?

Well sometimes. Right then when I wrote "Midnight Lamp" I was feeling kind of down like that. But really I have to catch myself and find out. So you go into different moods, and when you write your mood comes through. So you can go back and listen to your records and know how you were feeling then and how your moods change at different times.

+But loneliness is such a drag is a whispery quiet thing. How come you put these words in among powerful extrovert stuff?

I like to play loud. I always did like to play loud. The worlds of the song just come. I don't know how it comes about, it starts off quiet until we get into it.'

+How much do you owe to a blues background?

Not necessarily anything! I went south and just listened to the way the people played blues guitar and I dug it. But then I like a lot of other things too. That's why we try to do our own stuff, make something new.

+There's a lot of controversy over the responsibilities of pop stars. Do you you yourself feel any?

That's silly. Whatever a cat does in his private life should be his own business. Everybody knows this, but you can say it a million times and it still won't get through to some people. I don't really feel responsible too much to myself.
Maybe that's all.

+Do you ever feel like going away and sorting yourself out like maybe Dylan did?

I think that's going to have to happen soon anyway because everyone's getting so tired and you work so hard sometimes and it gets to be really frustrating'

+How come you got caught up in the hippy scene?

lt just happened to come about that we were around at the time of psychedelia and all the in-clothes. I dug that scene, but not necessarily what you call the hippy scene, because I don't like classification anyway. Regardless of the scene, we just happened to be playing freak out and psychedelic things, but it does bother us because psychedelia only means mind expansion anyway. I can't hear a single word the Pink Floyd are saying. There's so many other types of music. We just happened to be in that groove, that bag right then.'

+Do you try to communicate by words or sound when you're on stage or both? Because the words never usually come out.

Most of the songs were doing now, people know the words, I think, but it probably doesn't mean much to them. They just want somebody to break their neck on stage.

+Does that mean that you write primarily for yourself?

Oh definitely. One song we did called 'I Don't Live Today" was dedicated to the American Indian and all minority depression groups. All I did was just use a few words and they said "what does that mean"? That doesn't mean anything because there was only three or four lines in there anyway.'

+How about Donovan and his little scene!

He's nice, kinda sweet! He's a nice little cat in his own groove, all about flowers and people wearing golden underwear. I like Donovan as a person, but nobody is going to listen to this "love" bit. I like Dylan's music better because it's more earthy and live. "Mellow Yellow" is slang in the States for really groovy. "Sunshine Superman" means that he can get his girl. Anyway that's my interpretation. I'd like to play some sessions with Dylan, his group ought to be more creative. These days people think that everyone else ought to have trips and everyone is singing about trips.

+How about straight piss taking like the Mothers?

I like to listen to them, but we do our own thing. You know we had a chance to go into that bag because everybody's mind is still open. But we decided that we didn't want to go that way completely towards strict freak out.

+Are there any pressures on you as to what material you record?

No, none at all. We're just writing and playing what we want. But our moods change, like once we wanted to do a Dylan song as one of our singles. Than we wanted this and that, but we always wind up doing our own regardless whether they flop or not. At least we're doing our own thing. If you do someone else's song every fifth single, it shows something is missing. But you just don't throw anything out on record. I like to be involved and I like music. The same old story. All that goody goody stuff. Music is a love to me. The money's great too!

+What level are you aiming for when you make a record, the kids?

No, not necessarily. We quite naturally want people to like it. That's the reason for putting the record out. You see I have no taste. I couldn't say what's a good record and what's a bad one really. I don't have no feelings about commercial records. I don't know what a commerical record really is. So what we do is write and try to get it together the best as possible for anybody who'd really dig it. It doesn't make any difference who.

+How big a part do visuals take in your stage act?

I get a kick out of playing. It's the best part of the whole thing. You just do it when you feel like it sometimes. I used to feel like it. But not anymore man, you would have a heart attack if you were doing it every night like we were doing three or four months ago. We'd be dead by this time. You can't do it right unless you feel it. Half of the things I do I don't even know it because I just felt like it at the time. If you have everything planned out and one little thing does wrong you think, "Oh, what am I supposed to be doing now?" "Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be going like this... Hi everybody, I'm doing it."

+At this point a young lady from the 'Manchester Independent' asked Mr. Hendrix as to whether there was anything he wanted materially. This question was slightly distorted by an outburst of primitive laughter from the male section of the gathered assembly. She asked if there was anything left?

There's a whole lot of things left. Thousands of them. I see them downtown everyday. Millions of them! Marvellous!

+What about the Beatles and the things they're doing now?

I think it's good. They're one group you really can't put down because they're just to much and it's so embarrassing man, when America is sending over The Monkees. I'm so embarrassed that America could be so stupid as to make somebody like that. They could have at least done it with a group that has something to offer. They've got groups in the States that are starving to death, trying to get breaks and then these fairies come up.

+Do you ever think of going back to the States?

I think about it every single day, really miss it. Like the west coast. Nothing has to happen to me. I just like to be out there. I like the weather, the scenery and some of the people. You can have a chocolate milkshake In a drug store, chewing gum at a gas station and soup from little machines on the road. It's great, it's beautiful. It's all screwed up and nasty and prejudiced. And it has everything!
]]>Jimi Hendrix And Other InterviewsRobbieRadiohttp://crosstowntorrents.org/showthread.php?28771-Jimi-Hendrix-Unit-Magazine-Interview-1968Jimi Hendrix - Music Maker Magazine Interview 1968http://crosstowntorrents.org/showthread.php?28764-Jimi-Hendrix-Music-Maker-Magazine-Interview-1968&goto=newpost
Wed, 07 Feb 2018 01:12:25 GMTMUSIC MAKER MAGAZINE - ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 1968

A little more than a year after leaving the colourful bohemia of New York's Greenwich Village where, after backing such established artists as Little Richard. Otis Redding and B B. King, he was trying to make a name as an artist in his own Jimi Hendrix has, at twenty one, been voted the best pop musician in the world by Melody Maker Readers. In Paris, where Mike Hennessey obtained this interview, the Jimi Hendrix Experience were topping the bill at the Olympia Theatre—the place where the trio made its first public appearance almost exactly one year ago, with his "electrocuted porcupine" hairstyle, his way-out clothes, which seem, to be made out of woven herbaceous banters, and his furry boots. Jimi Hendrix looks a somewhat daunting prospect for an interview. "Who," an ostentatiously English guest at Jimi's Paris hotel was heard to
observe, is that bloody savage?" But the slightly fearsome appearance is completely misleading. Jimi conducted this interview while lying naked in his hotel bed and despite a chronic lack of sleep, a scarcely avoidable hazard in Paris, he was disarmingly genial, relaxed and natural, and was utterly impervious to the barbs of impertinently provocative questions. From time to time he would just chuckle happily into his pillow when a question temporarily threw him, or amused him. Its a good test of anyone's equanimity to submit him to ninety minutes of probing questions when he is trying to catch up on sleep after a head-hammering night out. Jimi didn't even wince—neither during the interview nor at the end of it when the road manager came to get him out of bed for a photo call just when he was about to turn over for another couple of hours.

■ After a year In Britain, what Is your opinion of the country ?

Britain is O.K.—but I wish we could play more places around the country. I miss playing in a lot of different places like we used to. But the problem is that we are doing more recording now and more tours abroad, so we don't got around England so much. Wo used to play different places every night of the week, but I guess It's not possible now.

■ How does the pop scene hero compare with the scene in the States ?

Oh, its pretty much the same. In the States you've got the West Coast sound happening now—and there's the Motown sound and the Memphis sound. In England there seems to be a more earthy style emerging. I really like a lot of the English music that is happening now. The Eire Apparent, the Irish rhythm and blues group we worked at the Saville with—they're really good. And I liked the last record by the Marmalade.

■ Are you happier in England than you were in the States?

Yeah, I'm much happier here because In the States I was always playing behind other people and I found it difficult to contain myself. It's O.K. at first, but then you get to a point where you can't stand any morn. Of course it was great experience playing behind Joey Dee, Little Richard, Chuck Jackson, Jackie Wilson, B. B. King, Otis Redding, the Isley Brothers and so on, but It's much better now I have my own group.

■ When did you first start playing guitar?

Professionally when I was about fifteen or sixteen, I've been playing for about six years. My first gig was In Seattle, Washington, where I was born. I got 75 cents and three hamburgers. Since then I've worked and I lived all over the States.

■ Do you intend to return to the States?

Not for the moment. I want to stay In England, and I understand there won't be any difficulty about getting work permits and so on as long as I'm a good little boy. I think I'd like to go back to the States eventually and buy a house in Hollywood.

■ Does the racial conflict in the States bother you?

I haven't had too much bother. I never paid too much attention to it. Seattle was an integrated city. I got pulled up by the police in Washington D.C. once and I was refused entry to one or two restaurant, but that was because I was with a couple of hippies. One of them looked a little like Sitting Bull. But it wasn't a racial thing.

■ Have you suffered from colorr prejudice In Britain?

Not really. I just don't get involved in it, as long as nobody doesn't bother me.

■ But how can you as a Negro fall to be involved in the racial problem?

I don't even think about it.

■ Would you join a freedom march if you were asked?

No, I don't think so. I'd really have to go Into it very thoroughly before I took that much interest. I used to go on Sunday afternoons in Nashville to watch the fights downtown. But normally I just don't think along these lines. I have other more important things to do, like playing guitar. I'm not one of those political types.

■ What do you think about the concept of Black Power?

I don't think about It. Oh, there's a lot of silly talk on both sides. I'd have to get really involved in this before I could say anything.

■ But, as I said aren't you automatically involved?

I don't feel involved. I don't look at things in terms of races. I look at things in terms of people.

■ Some colored musicians resent the fact that white people have had more money out of their music than they have. Do you?

I haven't even thought about it.

■ But isn't it true that most white beat groups have derived their inspiration from colored musicians and singers?

I guess so, I've never thought about it.

■ You don't think that Negro culture has been exploited more for the benefit of white people than colored people?

Oh, man, people say things like that, but its selfish and stupid. I always say let the best man win. If you can play the music, O.K. Whether you are black, white or purple. If somebody likes your music enough to be inspired by it, then that's fine. It's silly to say this kind of music can only be played by colored people. Really, some people seem to think from their kneecaps. Color just doesn't make any difference. Look at Elvis. He used to sing better when he sang the blues than when he started singing that beach party stuff. He could sing the blues, and he's white.

■ Who were your main influences?

A lot of people, like Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Muddy Waters and different blues artists. I was largely influenced by blues artists when I first started.

■ How would you describe the kind of music you play now?

I never think about it, until people start asking and trying to categorize It. Let's call it freak and funky music.

■ Your act was criticized in the States as being too erotic. What is your comment on this?

Well, I suppose that came about because we were playing on the same bill as the Monkees and it was a bit of a contrast. We hadn't really played to that kind of kids audience before and you have to realize that though the parents of the kids in England don't interfere too much, the parents in the States are something else. And then there are at those different kinds of stuffy organizations over there. We actually pulled out of that tour because there was a hassle. And we had a lot of other work coming up, including a tour of Scandinavia.

■ But is your act too erotic for kids?

No. It's not really erotic. There's some sex in it I suppose and I might move around in certain ways and girls in the front seats might have funny expressions on their faces. But it's not downright sexy. My main thing is to put the words over. And I also like to entertain myself on the stage. I get tired of just standing up there. Our music isn't all that organized. We get on stage and start calling off tunes. We never have a set program, we just play it by ear. So really anything can happen. But you've heard about American parents, and American people in general!

■ Do you think there is a more liberal moral climate in Britain?

Definitely, and there's more understanding, too.

■ What do you think about being voted top musician in the MM pop poll?

Oh, that's pretty groovy. It was very surprising, too, because I've only been playing In Britain a year. I'm really surprised by the success I've had. I still can't figure it all out yet, can't really understand it. But, of course, I'm glad. And I must say that Chas Chandler and Mike Jeffries helped a lot. When we first started playing there were a lot of question marks in people's faces and we didn't know whether they liked us or not. But it seems they did.

■ How did the famous Hendrix hairstyle develop?

Well, I've always worn my hair pretty wild, it used to be longer than it is now. My dad used to cut it all the time when I was a kid and I used to go to school looking like a plucked chicken. Maybe that gave me a complex, so I had to start letting It grow. Now I just have the ends cut from time to time.

■ Did you have a happy home background as a kid?

Well, I stayed mostly at my aunt's and grandmother's. There were family troubles between my mother and father. My brother and I used to go to different homes because dad and mother used to break up all the time. Mostly my dad took care of me. He was a laborer, a gardener, and he'd once been an electrician. But we weren't too rich!

■ Do you still keep in touch with your family?

Yes. I still write home occasionally.

■ But you left home at sixteen?

Yes. I joined the Army, and I was so bored. Army people tell you what to do all the time. I was in for fifteen months, then I broke my ankle and hurt my back in a parachute drop. That was about the best thing in the army, the parachute jumps. I did about twenty-five. But the Army's really a bad scene. They wouldn't let me have anything to do with music. They tell you what you are interested in, and you don't have any choice. The Army is more for people who like to be told what to do.

■ After you came out of the Army was it always your intention to get your own act together?

Yeah. While I was backing those other artists I always had the idea that I would go on my own eventually. But it took me a little time to get things together. Some things I do Impetuously. But this I had to wait for.

■ You first started playing with your own group in the Village?

Yes. And It was pretty tough at first. I was often in a situation where I didn't know where my next meal was coming from. People would say. "If you don't get a job you'll just starve to death." But I didn't want to take a job outside music. I tried a few jobs, including car delivery, but I always quit after a week or so. I'd worry a bit about not having any money, but not enough to go out and rob a bank. Then when Chas Chandler came over I decided I'd give England a try, I'd never been there before. Record companies had started to show a little Interest in me when I was playing at the Café A Go Go. And a year before Mick Jagger had tried to get me on a tour. But I wasn't really ready then.

■ What sort of things bug you In the music business?

I guess there are lots of little things that bug you. But I can't think of anything In particular.

■ You're a pretty happy guy, then?

I guess so.

■ Do you ever lose your temper?

Well, sometimes when you're resting after working for eighteen hours in a day and trying to have a quiet meal somewhere, you get annoyed when kids come in and bug you for autographs and pictures. I think this shows a complete lack of consideration. You got no kind of private, personal life in this business. Look at what they did to the Stones. People working in offices can get a private life, but not us.

■ Do you have a lot of girl friends?

I used to have millions in the States. They kept me from starving when I was In the Village a year and a half ago. I didn't have a thing, no money, no job. I even had my guitar stolen. But those girls helped me. One of them even bought a guitar for me.

■ Can't girls also be a problem?

Yeah. Sometimes it's a problem to be nice to all of them. If they invite you to their place and you say no thanks then they think you are big-timing them. And half of them ask you such silly questions. Like when was the last time you saw John Lennon, and can you get the Box Tops' autographs. There's also a big challenge thing with some girls. They'll say, boasting, "Oh. I've been with him before", to their friends. And they'll say, "I wonder what it's like to sleep with John Walker?" There are always some who want to sleep with you. But there are others who you can actually talk to.

■ Do you have a steady girl friend?

No. I used to. But I can't get along with just one girl. I don't like to be tied down too much.

■ Have you run much Into the belief that colored men are more virile than whites?

Yeah, I've heard that. But there's nothing to it. It's got nothing to do with color. It's just another stupid generalization. Like they say Swedish girls have got no sense of humor. But in Stockholm I met some that had a great sense of humor.

■ Pop groups generally have greater privileges and opportunities when it comes to sex, but do you think they should set a moral example?

I think pop groups have a right to their own private life, as I said before. People should judge them by what they do on stage, as singers and musicians. Their private life is their own business and people shouldn't know too much about that. You can't expect artists to be goody, goodies all the time. In any case kids aren't as dumb and easily influenced as some people think. They have a lot of common sense. Any kid that does something bad because a certain Pop idol did it would probably have done it anyway.

I used to believe in different things as a little boy. I believed that if you put a tooth under your pillow a fairy would come in the night and take the tooth and leave a dime. But as for no, well there are so many different beliefs going round. I believe there must be some kind of God, but there aro so many different religions. I believe that human beings somehow just happened. So many things are unexplained. I don't really talk about religion. I was sent to church when I was a kid, and one time somebody got excited and hit me in the eye with their elbow. I guess that turned me off church. I suppose human beings have to believe in something, they feel they have to be directed In some way, have to have something to follow, regardless of whether it's true or not.

■ So what do you believe in?

I believe In myself more than anything. And I suppose, in a way, that's also believing in God. If there is a God and he made you, then if you believe in yourself, you're also believing in Him. I think everybody should believe in himself. I don't believe in heaven and hell and all that stuff, but I suppose there must be something In religion.

■ For an increasing number of people, pot seems to have become a substitute for religion. What are your views on marijuana?

I think smoking pot will probably be legalized in five or ten years. I don't, on the other hand, think drink Is a good thing. They should carry out a big inquiry into the effects of Pot just to see how harmful it really Is. It seems to me to be silly to be sent to jail for smoking a natural plant. You've got winos and drunkards out in the streets begging for money and nobody seems to care about this. Yet some people will kill for a few cents to buy a drink. I think the situation will get itself together soon. This is just the beginning of the cold war between those who want pot and those who don't. One thing I am sure of, it's wrong to classify all drugs under one heading. Pot is completely different from hard drugs. I really don't see how anyone can put a needle In themselves. I had pneumonia when I was young and I used to scream and cry every time they put that needle in me.

■ Is there anything you regret in your life?

Only that I didn't start singing and playing on my own much earlier. I also regret that I'm lazy, I used to write thousands of tunes, but I don't seem to get around to it now.

■ What are your plans for the future?

First of all I'd like to see a lot more festivals in Britain. I'd really like to get a Monterey scene going. I'm also trying to work out a whole new concept of putting on a show, something more in the form of a play with good stage presentation, a completely different approach. But it will be some time before we get into it. I'll also be experimenting with different instrumentation. We'll keep the basic trio but add other musicians temporarily when we want a different sound. And finally. I'm looking forward to our six-week tour of the States which starts next February. But most of all right now I'm looking forward to going back to sleep. (But, unfortunately, he never made it!) ■
]]>Jimi Hendrix And Other InterviewsRobbieRadiohttp://crosstowntorrents.org/showthread.php?28764-Jimi-Hendrix-Music-Maker-Magazine-Interview-1968